Display-rack



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. F. BENT.

DISPLAY RAGK. No. 529,439. Patented Nov. 20, 1894.

Um'rn STATES FRED FRANCIS BENT, OF LAKE GENEVA, WVISCONSIN.

DISPLAY-RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 529,439, dated November 20, 1894. Application filed July 29,1893- Serial No. 481,836. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRED FRANCIS BENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lake Geneva, in the county of Walworth and State of IVisconsin, have invented a new and useful Display-Rack, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in display-racks; and the objects thereof are to produce a new and improved rack designed to be used by retail or other dealers for the display of their merchandise; to so construct the rack as to adapt it for the reception of various kinds of merchandise, such as shoes, millinery articles, articles of apparel of any kind, groceries, &c.; and furthermore, so as to fold convenientlyand compactly whereby it may be stored or set aside and occupy but little space when not actually employed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings :Figure 1 is a perspective View of a rack constructed in accordance with my invention, the same being illustrated as when employed by a shoe dealer, and hence supporting for the purpose of display samples of shoes. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the rack in detail. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the rack, the same being shown in detail. Fig. 4: is a side elevation. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the rack, the same being folded as when not in use.

In the practice of my invention, I employ a front display-frame which is inclined, and a rear foldable vertical supporting frame.

The front frame comprises opposite inclined bars 1, whose opposite edges are provided with staggered open notches 2, that receive in a removable manner round, square, or other shaped rods 3. The bars 1 are also connected between the sets or pairs of notches with staggered, stationary rungs rt-that is to say in front of the rear notches rungs will be located, and likewise in rear of the front notches. This is a preferable arrangement of the rungs.

The rear supporting frame comprises opposite vertical sidebars 5 whose upperends are pivoted by pins 6 to the upper ends of the bars 1. These bars 5 are connected near their lower ends by a transverse connecting-rung 7 and are provided upon their outer sides with forwardly projecting horizontal ears or blocks 8, whose front ends extend beyond the front edges of the bars 5 and have pivoted to their inner faces in line with the bars 5, by pins 9, horizontal base-bars 10. These basebars 10 have their front ends rounded so as to conform to the lower rounded ends of the bars 1 and have their upper sides near their front ends provided with open notches 11 which receive laterally projecting headedpins 12 that project from the bars 1 near their lower ends and at their outer sides.

When the notches ll are in engagement with the headed pins 12, it will be seen that the bars 10 serve to support the entire structure, and the latter is prevented from collapsing and is maintained in operative position, as clearly shown by the drawings. By withdrawing the notches 11 from the pins 12 and swinging the base-bars 1O upward against the front edges of the bars 5, the display-frame may be folded between the bars 10 and 5, and thus the device laid fiat and arranged compactly for shipping or storage. In order to maintain the rack in this compact condition I provide pivoted hooks 13 upon the outer faces of the bars 5, the free ends of the hooks removably engaging With eyes 14: located at an opposite point upon the outer sides of the base-bars 10.

In order to set up the rack for use it is simply necessary to disengage the hooks from the eyes just mentioned and swing the displayrack outward beyond the base-bars so as to permit the latter to pass the headed pins 12 and then engage said pins with the notches 11 in the base-bars, whereby the frame is locked against collapsing in a manner that will be obvious.

I provide the series of removable rungs 3 designed to be inserted in one or more pairs of front or rear notches, or both, as the case may be, whereby the rungs are given such disposition and are so assembled as to adapt them to receive various kinds of articles for display. In the present instance I have illustrated a convenient arrangement for supporting for attractive display shoes, though it will be understood, as before stated, that any articles of merchandise may be substituted for the shoes, such as groceries, apparel of various kinds, mens belongings, &c.

If desired I may employ a horizontal platform 16 connecting the same loosely and movably upon the upper rung of the display frame by means of a pair of aligning eyes 17. To the under side of this platform I hinge at 18 a supporting leg 19 whose lower end being notched, as at 20, may conveniently engage with the adjacent rung to the uppermost one and thus support the platform in a horizontal position. This platform is particularly useful and attractive in displaying what might be called the crowning display or set piece, as for instance, if the rack were used for displaying corsets, the platform might be employed to support the bust or figure illustrating the application and fit of the article. This platform, however, may be omitted, and I do not limit the invention to its employment nor to the precise details of construction herein shown and described, holding that I may make such alterations as may suggest themselves in the practice of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a display rack, the combination with the inclined display frame comprising the opposite side-bars and intermediate supportin g-rungs, and headed looking-pins extending outwardly from the lower ends of the sidebars, of a pair of vertical bars pivoted to the upper ends of the side-bars of the displayframe, blocks or ears applied to the outer faces at the lower ends of the vertical supporting bars, a pair of base-bars pivoted to the inner sides of the blocks or ears in line with the vertical bars and provided upon their upper sides with notches for the reception of the headed-pins, substantially as specified.

2. In a display-rack, the combination with the inclined display-frame comprising opposite side-bars provided at their lower ends and upon their outer sides with headed pins, of vertical supporting-bars pivoted to the upper ends of the side-bars, blocks at the lower ends and outer sides of the vertical bars, base-bars pivoted to the blocks in line with the supporting-bars, notches in the upper sides of the base-bars for engaging the pins, pivoted hooks on the supporting bars, and eyes for engaging the same on the base-bars, substantially as specified.

3. In a display rack, the combination with a supporting frame comprising opposite side bars provided at their front and rear sides with alternating pairs of notches and with staggered rungs permanently securing the side-bars together and arranged opposite to the front and rear notches, of a support for the frame, and a series of removable rungs arranged in the notches, substantially as specified.

4. In a display rack, the combination of inclined side bars provided at their front and rear edges with notches, the staggered transverse permanent rungs connecting the side bars and arranged adjacent to the notches, a series of removable rungs detachably arranged in the notches and co-operating with the permanent rungs to form a broad support for articles displayed, the vertical supporting bars pivoted at their upper sides to the side bars, a transverse rung connecting the lower ends of the supporting bars and arranged to fit in the adjacent notches when the parts are folded, and means for holding the side bars and the supporting bar when in use to prevent them from collapsing, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRED FRANCIS BENT.

Witnesses:

W. H. MACDONALD, J. M. BARKER. 

